Job Discussion Forums

[fcree]

I'm looking for information about working and living conditions at universities in and around Istanbul and Izmir. For the past year and a half, I've been teaching at Bilkent in Ankara, and am eager to find out about options at other universities in Turkey. I have a wife and two kids, so decent pay and university-provided housing are high on the list of priorities. However, I'm also curious about the working environment and level of statisfaction at different locations. Right now, I'm trying to find out more about Koc, Sabanci, and Bahcesehir, but information about any other universities in Istanbul or Izmir would be most welcome.

Thanks,

Fturk

[molly farquharson]

I suggest Koc or Sabanci over Bahcesehir, though all of them are way out of town. I worked at Koc and the housing is very nice, the campus is modern, the people are nice. They help with education for the kids at certain schools. I know some people are leaving the ELC and there may be some spaces in the Comm department next year.

[ekmekparasi]

[quote="molly farquharson"] I worked at Koc and the housing is very nice, the campus is modern, the people are nice.

From Koc to English Time. Career move, huh Molly?

[Faustino]

The whole of Bahcesehir is built on dodgy ground, every building in the area thrown up in record quick time by cowboys. According to what many people have told me, the entire area will be flattened when the big quake comes. As a family man, I think this will probably be a concern for you (not that anyone would really want to be flattened by a quake).

I don't like agreeing with the breadmoney, but moving from mega-respected Koc University to work in any language school does seem like a strange career move. However, we all have our reasons for the choices we make in life.

[molly farquharson]

There are many reasons for making choices like that and certainly my friends at Koc were surprised. However, the Koc campus is way at the end of the world and I also got tired of grading papers. I figured I would make more of a difference at ET, and I think I do, though not as much as I would like. I also wanted to live in the city, which I do. If I had wanted to live in a forest, I would have stayed in North America. Anyway, sana ne, ekmekparasi? jealous you wouldn't be hired out there? They only hire professional teachers with masters degrees and experience.

[31]

I agree with Molly. There is a lot of bitterness and silliness on this board. Working hands on in a chain of language schools is a damn site better than spending your days marking papers and dealing with all the ivory tower egg heads. Most of them have never lived in the real world. Put them in a class, they would not last 5 minutes. Travelling in this city for hours and hours every day is no way to spend your life. Espesially when you want to enjoy the nightlife. Much better to work evenings so you can have a good night at least 5 a week anyway.Changing jobs that is her perogative.

[Faustino]

How long have you been working in language schools, 31?